Consequences for failing schools still undecided

Oct. 29, 2012

Results of new school report cards released last week showsone in seven met few or none of the state's expectations for standardized test scores, dropout and graduation rates and other measures. But the state hasn't said what supports or penalties those 266 struggling schools might face. / Sharon Cekada/The Post-Crescent

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Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team

“If you don’t keep score, you don’t know how well you’re doing,” said the Republican lawmaker from Ripon, who, along with three other state officials, chaired a commission that crafted Wisconsin’s first-ever school report cards.

The release of the new report cards last week gave educators and the public a more comprehensive view of their local schools’ performance than ever before. The results show one in seven met few or none of the state’s expectations for standardized test scores, dropout and graduation rates and other measures.

But the state hasn’t said what supports or penalties those 266 struggling schools might face — will they get extra funding to make changes, will they add fuel to the push for a statewide voucher program allowing students to leave for private schools, or will they face some other type of sanctions?

“My biggest fear is that, once we identify those who are struggling, this will be used as punishment and not to help improve those schools,” said Miles Turner, executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.

The broad outlines of the next steps already are taking shape.

The state Department of Public Instruction intends to lobby lawmakers during their next session for more funding to support struggling schools. Advocates of voucher programs already are talking about expanding the program, which is now limited to Milwaukee and Racine, into new areas.

The results of the report cards also likely will frame a broader political discussion about wide-sweeping accountability reforms that would tie teacher evaluations to their students’ test scores and raise expectations for what it takes for students to be considered proficient in a subject. An entirely new standardized test will be rolled out by 2014.

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Political Science Professor Ed Miller said most of the state’s schools won’t have to worry about their report cards becoming political fodder for someone’s agenda. But, “in pockets where there are several schools that didn’t achieve results, that’s where you’ll see a real political issue.”

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“I think a lot of it will be reflected around money,” he said.

More money

The new school report cards raise the bar on what’s considered proficient performance on standardized tests, while also, for the first time, considering student growth, dropout rates and achievement gaps when evaluating public schools.

The report cards assigned schools a numerical index score of 0 to 100 and an overall performance rating using a five-point scale that ranges from “fails to meet expectations to “significantly exceeds expectations.”

Most schools were rated as meeting or exceeding expectations, but 14 percent did not.

The state Department of Public Instruction has stated it wants to keep people’s focus on shared improvement by having the highest-ranking schools share best practices with the low-performing schools, which would be required to create state-approved turnaround plans.

But all of this would require more money, and none of it has been made official.

“So the question now is ... what is our commitment to any school in Wisconsin under our new state system?” said Lynette Russell, assistant state superintendent for the division of student and school success. “All of that is still under discussion and most likely the DPI will include something reflective of it in the next biennial budget request.”

School administrators worry the Legislature won’t approve more funding. School funding has been cut in several budget cycles, making an increase unlikely.

“No one argues we need to be held accountable … but make sure you give us the resources to do it. Personally, what I believe will happen is the state will say it doesn’t have any more money, so go do it anyway, without any more resources,” said Sheboygan school district Superintendent Joe Sheehan.

Vouchers

Many educators also speculate lawmakers will use the report cards to redirect some of the state’s education dollars into expanded voucher programs.

“I believe there is an element of people out there who will use this (report card) as they have used other (accountability) measures to forward political agendas, whether it be vouchers or you name it,” said Ed Dorff, principal at Green Bay’s East High School, one of four Green Bay schools that failed to meet state expectations.

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A proposal that would have extended vouchers to families in Green Bay made its way into the state’s last budget proposal, but lawmakers ultimately stripped it from the budget.

The American Federation for Children, which financially backs lawmakers supportive of voucher programs and helps write legislation for them, intends to continue advocating in Wisconsin, National Communications Director Malcom Glen said.

Glenn wouldn’t say whether the report cards add fuel to their initiatives, but “we always look for opportunities to strengthen those programs and to allow for a broader range of students to participate,” he said.

Jim Bender, president of School Choice Wisconsin, said his organization has heard from parents across the state, including districts with highly rated schools such as Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Wausau, asking for voucher programs.

Bender said the report cards won’t have much influence on the work of his organization, which would advocate for voucher programs regardless of the results. But, he said, the report cards could be very valuable for parents trying to decide what school is best for their children.

“For an organization like ours, we are really focused on empowering parents about making quality decisions about education, and this is another tool for them. It informs them in a better way about their schools,” he said.

Olsen, a member of the Senate Committee on Education and Corrections, said he doesn’t think the report cards will become politicized. Rather, he’s optimistic communities will rally around their schools and work together for improvement.

Still, he acknowledged that consequences will be part of the legislative discussion.

“The idea of this wasn’t to say public education is no good, but the big part of the (discussion) will be what is the accountability and what are the ramifications if a school doesn’t improve at all. The consequences of not doing a good job are what we’ll be looking at. That’s one bill we’ll be working on this session,” Olsen said.